I gave this advice to my mom the other day. She and my dad were out, which can sometimes, itself, be a challenge. Mom wanted Dad to try on sneakers. He needs new ones and no matter she brings home, he won't like or they won't fit. It's absolutely necessary for him to try them on. But like I said, getting him there and getting shoes on his feet can be exhausting.
So there they were, all poised to try on shoes, when Dad's stomach started giving him trouble. Mom wanted him to try to just try to quickly get through finding shoes. Dad was distracted by his stomach. Mom urged him to try on a pair. Dad said he felt like he needed to go. Mom got frustrated because so much effort had already been put forth getting there and now they were leaving empty handed. In defeat, she said, "Let's just go." Dad, like a kid who finally breaks their parent down then feels guilty, said "Well that pair would be fine." Yeah, the pair he didn't try on. Meaning it would be no different than if mom came alone and bought something. They'd get home, he'd try them on, they wouldn't fit or he wouldn't like the way they looked and lather, rinse, repeat.
When my mom told me this story, my advice was to not get annoyed because the result was going to be the same. Once Dad's stomach starts to give him issues, there is nothing else he can think about no matter how much you want him to, essentially, suck it up for a few minutes.
Isn't it funny, though, when you have to take your own advice?
I was set on taking our annual Christmas card photo this year. It was a simple set up. My girls both have on nice neutral cream-colored shirts. Everyone is having a pretty good hair day. I was going to slap a holiday bow on the dog's head, go outside in our mild temps and beautiful afternoon sun and get that magical shot. Instead, my older daughter came home in a mood. When I started brushing her hair, she immediately burst into tears saying I pulled half her hair out. She cried and whined for no less than 10 minutes. I was losing all sympathy because I felt pretty sure the tears were only caused by the knots so much. She was obviously fragile for some other, unknown to me, reason.
The more I tried to rush her through properly reacting to her horrific injury and usher her back into shoes and outside, the more she upped the drama level. Finally I decided to just stop the whole process, sit down, turn on the TV and start writing. I don't have the energy to fight this losing battle.
Is it wrong to Photoshop my kids' heads with the dog's and insert the image of a bow? How recent do these pics have to be? :-)
Happy flippin' holidays....................................
*deep breath* No stress, no stress, no stress
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